Family background
John Kellet (Kellett) married Bessie (1848-1912) and there were at least 2 children. He lived at 86 Elizabeth Street, Waterloo in 1890. In December 1894 this property, by order of the Mortgagee, was put up for sale. Kellet leased a house at 22 Balfour Street, Chippendale in 1896.
Occupation & interests
Kellet was a builder and contractor. In May 1891 Mr John Kellet, Elizabeth Street, Waterloo won a competition for his designs for buildings on a block of land at the corner of Buckland and West Streets, Waterloo.
Community activity
At a conference of Waterloo, Alexandria and Redfern Councils in 1891 to take into consideration the action of the Government in handing over the Botany Road to the councils, Kellett drew attention to the necessity for extending Wellington Street to Bunnerong and Randwick Roads, so as to give the thickly populated western suburbs a ready means of access to the Randwick Racecourse and the coast watering places. Kellett moved that Council’s Inspector of Nuisances take action against the proprietor of a boiling down works at Waterloo in 1892 emitting foul smells.
Local government service
John Kellett was elected following the retirement of Alderman Nelson on 13 November 1882. He was again elected on 3 January 1891 in place of Alderman George Anderson who resigned. John Kellett was an alderman on Waterloo Council in 1882 and 1891-94.
References
‘Borough Councils’, The Sydney Morning Herald, 8 November 1882, p. 11, http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/13521498
The Sydney Morning Herald, 19 May 1891 p.1, http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/13824942
‘Noxious Trades’, Evening News, 29 October 1892, p. 2, http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/113312656